Code or cipher system.



PATENTBD JAN.22, 1907. 0. w. MODONALD.

com; 0R .GIPH'ER SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED 00T.16. 1905.

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` of the alphabet are `arranged in definite re-l translating secret code or cipher messages or systems, and has for its object the provision vor cipher system wherein prearranged words,

UNITED srATEs PATENT OFFIOE.

CHARLES WOOD MCDONALD, OF SAN FRANCISCO, lCALIFORNIA. GODE 0R OIPHER SYSTEM.

Specation of Letters Patent. y Appiicason ined october 16, 1905. serial No. 282.956.

Patented Jan. 22, 1907.

To @Zijn/'hom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES WOOD M DONALD, a citizen of the United States, residing at San Francisco, in the county of` San Francisco and'St'ate of California, (whose p'ost-oiiice address is, until further notice, Manila, Phili pine Islands,) have-invented new 'and luse ul Improvements in Code or Cipher Systems, as set forth in the annexed diagrams and the following specification. This invention relates to code or cipher of a system which is simple, accurate, and economical Afor preparing, transmitting, 1're-- ceiving, and translating secret messages.

.AL further Objectis to provide asecretcode numerals, or sentences are designated 'by numerals, and the numerals by couplets of. vowels and consonants Of the alphabet. A further object is to provide a secret code or cipher system wherein couplets of letters lation to spell pronounceable, receivable, and transmittible words, each couplet identifying a certainnumber, the numbers identifying words, numerals, or sentences .of the mes sage to .be communicated.

Other objects ofthe invention will appear more fully hereinafter.

-The invention consists, substantially, in the construction, combination, location," and rel-- ativel arrangement of parts, all as will be more fully hereinafter set forth, as shown 4in the accompanying drawings, and finally pointed out inthe appended claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view in diagram of a sheet or page 'prepared and arranged with couplets of yetters of the English alphabet and their identifying and corresponding numbers inV accordance with the principles of my invention. Fig. 2'is a similar view of a portion of another sheetand illustrating the manner'of extension the system. In preparing. transmitting, receiving, and

communications' it is exceedingly desirable to secure absolute accuracy without sacrificing anythingof speed or rapidity in preparing andtranslating the communication. It is also desirable. to reduce the expense of transmission-,of long or complicated messages to the lowest possible degree. These, among-others, are the special objects which system embodying the principles of my invention.

In carrying out my invention I first prepare lists. of words, numerals, or sentences. These lists should' contain all the Words, numerals, or sentences desired inthe business of theuser and from which the desired messages are to be prepared and translated, the

lsaid lists being drawn from in making up any desired message tobe communicated. .In practice and customarily the selection of words, numerals, or sentences to make up the lists is left entirely in the discretion and will ofthe. particular individual, firm, or corporation in whose interests such lists are pre pared, and hence, if desired, a number of different lists may be made up-by different individuals ,or co cerns in accordance with my invention, eac however, diflerin from Athe other, so the code or system of eac user,

while embodying the principles of my invention, still remain secret so far as any other mark. Fig. 1, identified or distinguished as Sheet user is concerned. The word or words, numerals, or sentences listed as above explained are next identified and distinguished from each other by numbers. I then prepare a series of sheets or pages, each having a distin uishing or identifying character or gi have shown one of such sheets in B, and a portion of another sheet in Fig. 2, identified or distinguished asy "Sheet C." Other sheets or pages may bel employed and eachdistinguished or identified bysome other I desireto attain in the secret code or cipher letterof the alphabet. Itis obvious that other page or sheet distinguishing characters may be employed without departure from the spirit or scope of my invention. For ordinary purposes, however, the letters of the alphabet ofthe English language will be found sullicient. Ifadditional pages or sheets should be necessary, they maybe supplied with double letters.

The next step 4in preparing the [code or cipher system in accordance withmy invention lis toform combinations of letters, preferably vowels and consonants arranged in pairs. Thus the letter a" maybe associated with each of the consonants of the alphabet, and similarly each of the other vowels are also associated with each of Vthe consonant-s, thereby forming two-letter syllables. These y'couplets are arranged upon each sheet or page, preferably, though notnecessarily, in vertical columns, as clearly shawn in the loc 'ric

drawings.l and opposite oradja'centto each I couplet of letters-is placed a distinguishing or i the code word to be transmitted would be identifying numeral.

in consecutive order, commencing with the couplet ab of the first sheet or page-as Sheet B, for instance. Thus by employing the letter a with each consonant there consecutivelyfrom page to would be twenty-one couplets of letters on eachv sheet or page begiiming with letter a and twenty-one beginning with each of the other vowels, making a total number on the first page of one vhundred and five,;and if twenty-six sheets or pages are emjloyed it will be seen that provision is made containing two thousand seven hundred and thirty numbers corresponding to the samel number of numerals, words, or sentences. In practice, however, and as shown the letters .q, W, and y maybe omitted, thereby making atotal of eighteen couplets for each column, and since there are five columns on each sheet or page, there will bea total of ninety couplets on each sheet or page, and this number multipliedby the total number of sheets or pages will give the total number of couplets or numbers. The numbers continue age throughout the'system, and hence whi e the couplets in number and arrangement are the same on each page the corresponding numerals successively increase in value from the first cou -let of the first page throughout thv succee pages.

infr

lln practice and in order to denote a transfer from one page to another I ro ose to employ one or more characters w iic i I will designate transfer characters. These may be letters, numerals, or other marks. By

' way of illustrationl I-have omitted the let- .case numbers wit ters q, i w,7 and y from the couplet A combinations, and these may also be omitted from page or sheet designations, and one of these letters-as y,7 for instancemay be reserved for use as a transfer character to denote a transfer .from one sheet' or page to another. It is obvious that any other letter, character, orcther designation may be employed for this purpose.

I will now give an illustration of the use of va code 'orcipher system embed 'ng my invention. Sup osethe code or tained the following code-sentences: 3-

Quote best price f. o. b. New York'in gross. rlots, 29-'-Can you ship' entire quantity The couplet distinguisliing or identifying numerals are arranged or a codev .ent

ey-book con*4 Badeiiimof, which is pronounceable, andl therefore under the present established rules are acceptable, receivable, and transinittable as one word by the telegraph companies. The receiver of this message, in order to translate it, would turn first to sheet or page B of his code-book. He would then pick out the. numbers corresponding, respectively, to the couplets ad, en, im, and of With these numbers he then refers to his key to ascertain tli'e sentencefwords,v numerals, and the like corresponding to each number and would find that the single word Badenimof Would express the entire four sentences above quoted. If, however, it should be necessary to employ numbers occurring on differages, thenthe transfer character-as, for ymstance, the letter y-will be employed. Thus the code-word Badynimof would be analyzed as follows: The number corresponding to the couplet a d would be found on page or sheet B. y would denote transfer to sheet or page N, on which page are to be selectel the'numbers corresponding to im and of It is believed that the u se of a code or cipher system embodying vmy invention will be hreadily understood and comprehended from the foregoing description, ,Y 4

It will be seen that I provide an exceedingly simple secret code or cipher system and one which enables the user to prepare, transmit, receive, and translate with great speed and accuracy messages at very small expense. It is obvious that 'changes and variations in the details would. vreadily suggest themselves to persons skilled` in the art and still fall within the spirit and scope of 'my invention.

Having now set forth the object and nature of my invention and havlng explained the rinciple thereof and the best-moge in whic I at present contemplate applying such IOO principle, what I claim as new and useful and of my own invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is g 1. A code or cipher system comprising a series of sheets or ages having distinguishing characters, each siieet or page having couplets of characters, adapted to be assembled to form pronounceable Words, each couplet be` ing distinguished by one or more numerals,

each numeral distinguishing one or more words, numbers or sentences and a transfer character denoting transfer from one sheet or pagey to another. Y p

2. A code or cipher system comprising a series of sheets, each having adistingui'shi'ng character, each sheet containing a series of couplets of letters of the al habet, each couplet containing a vowel an a consonant, and

being distinguished by a number, tlie coupletdistinguishing numbers being consecutive throughout all the pages, and each representing one or more words, numerals or sentences s 842,106 4 v a and a 'transfer character' denoting transfer numerals or sentences, and a transfer characrom onepage or sheet to another. ter denoting transfer from one sheet or `page 3. A code or cipher system comprising a to another.

series of sheets'or pages having distinguishing In testimonyv whereof I have signed my 5 characters, each sheet or page containing a name to this speciication inthe presence oi` 15 'series of vowels and consonants of the alphatwo subscribing Witnesses. -v bet arranged in couplets containing a vowel CHARLES WOOD MCDONALD. and a'cbnsonant, each couplet having a dis- `Witnessesz n tinguishng nin'nber, the couplet-distinguish- ANDREW VAN SMITH,y

1cI ing numbers representing one or more Worgs, GEORGE DBOGERT. 

